Outlets
by shockandlock
Summary: Ballet for little girls, right? To Ace's surprise, it's much more than just pink tutus and prancing around. After seeing Marco Phoenix's skillful command of the art, he finds himself hooked, diving into the world of ballet. He works his way up to nab a place in Whitebeard's Dance Troupe, but how will things turn out when he meets his very inspiration? For OPReverseBang 2016!


**A/N: Hello, everyone! So this is my project for One Piece Reverse Bang 2016! I don't know much about ballet, so I'm sorry for any inaccuracies! It was not my intent to if you're offended if you like ballet. I recommend reading on AO3 as well since my lovely partner, MyLadyDay's art may or may not be on it. Or you can check the art out on tumblr when it's posted! Thank you to lunarshores for betareading and for my great partner, MyLadyDay!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Ace scowled, pulling at the bowtie around his neck as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He had never had to wear formal clothing before, and he never thought that he would have to. Now that he was wearing a silly little tux made for children, he felt ridiculous. It didn't help that his hair had been slicked back too.

He heard laughter behind him, and he turned around to glare at Sabo and Luffy, who were preoccupied with a fit of giggles. "Oi, what's so funny?"

"Ace looks stupid!" Luffy piped, jumping up and down.

Ace lunged forward, grabbing Luffy's cheeks. "You don't look any better!" His insult didn't stop Luffy's laughter.

"You _do_ look ridiculous though," Sabo said.

"Easy for you to say," Ace grumbled. "You dress like this all the time, You could at least help me out here."

"Fine, fine," Sabo sighed, stepping into the room. "I'll help you. Lu, wait outside."

"But, Sabo!" Luffy's whining was cut off when Ace slammed the door in his face.

"You don't have to act so grumpy," Sabo said..He reached up, ruffling Ace's hair out of its ridiculous, slicked back state.

"Why is the shitty geezer even bringing us to a stupid bal- _let_ anyways?"

"It's pronounced like 'bal- _lay_ ', Ace," Sabo corrected. He ignored the way Ace rolled his eyes. "He probably wants to show us off or something like that. Prove that his 'precious grandsons' are 'upstanding members of society.'"

Ace snorted. Of course it would be something like that, though Garp was probably setting himself up for failure, especially since he decided that bringing Luffy was a good idea. Luffy didn't understand the concept of good behavior.

Sabo adjusted Ace's bowtie, and Ace let out a sigh of relief. Finally, it wasn't strangling him anymore.

"Try to put up with it for one night," Sabo said. "I highly doubt that he'll bother us about it again."

"Just keep telling yourself that, Sabo."

* * *

Of course they had almost arrived late, despite Garp driving so fast Ace thought they were going to die. Garp had rushed them to their seats. They had been on the bottom level (or the "orchestra", as Sabo corrected), seats right in the middle of the wide room so they got a perfect view of the stage.

Thankfully, the show hadn't started just yet. People were still chatting as they waited for the curtains to rise, which gave Ace the perfect opportunity to protest again.

"Why did you even bring us here anyways, shitty gramps?" Ace asked, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"Quit complaining, brat!" He received a sharp smack on the head for his words. "Can't I spend some time with my grandchildren?"

"We didn't ask," Ace said. "Besides, why would we care about some stupid dance anyways? Bal-let is for little girls."

"Shhhh!" Sabo hissed. The lights had gone down. The curtains hadn't gone up yet though. The orchestra had started their overture, which (Ace had noticed with out of the corner of his eye) had put Luffy right to sleep. "It's starting!"

Ace groaned quietly. Well, he might as well try paying attention at first to make it more bearable.

The curtain opened on a bright stage, dancers ushering in with flourishes and pointed toes. Ace glanced around at the stage, trying to discern what was going on. He really couldn't tell with the distraction of clothes from costumes and leotards. There were cups, so maybe a dance? He was about to give up and wait for it to be over.

Then he danced onto the stage, and Ace had zero doubt in his mind that this man was the lead.

Something about the blond man's presence demanded attention. His costume being a distinctive dark with gold accents was one reason, but the way he carried himself, every movement flowing perfectly into another, made it look like the other dancers were bending to his will. Ace's earlier hesitation was melting away slowly.

Ace's eyes were wide as he watched the man dance across the stage, there was a pause in his movements as a jester looking character took up a solo dance, but that didn't last long as the blond man took center stage again. There were two girls accompanying him, but Ace's eyes were on the lead the entire time. His leaps were executed in perfect time with the music, and he even spun in midair. The way he smiled was mesmerizing too, as his expression was unchanging no matter what move he performed.

"Amazing," Ace whispered to himself.

And as the light dimmed for the second scene, he leafed through his program for Swan Lake, discovering that this was Marco Phoenix playing the role of Prince Siegfried.

Ace had gained a new appreciation for the way the dancers moved, telling a story with their body. He watched as their facial expressions changed, as they danced around each other and with each other. It was much easier to tell what was going on when he was actually paying attention. It was a love story, leading to a tragic end, and by the time the curtains raised for applause, Ace found that he was standing and clapping along with the rest of the audience.

Sabo nudged him with his elbow, a smug look on his face. "I thought you said ballet was for little girls."

Ace blushed. "Sh-shut up."

Luffy hadn't stirred the entire performance, forcing Ace to carry him back to the car. Well, not before Garp whisked them around, showing them off to the other Marine officers that attended the show. Normally, Ace would be scowling at the Marines, but this time, he wasn't really paying attention. The performance was playing over and over in his mind: the graceful moves, the grand costumes… there was just something about it.

"Newgate!"

"Garp," a large man with a crescent mustache greeted. "What a surprise seeing you here."

"I could say the same thing. Don't you have your brats to watch?"

"They're off with my eldest, whom we are here to support," he said. "We're all very proud of Marco, and they want to ask him how his first lead was."

"That was your son?" Ace asked as he adjusted the way he was carrying Luffy.

The man, who towered above them, bent down to get a better look at them. Normal children would have cowered away from such an intimidating man, but Ace wasn't afraid.

He smiled at Ace. "It was. I take it that you enjoyed the performance then?"

Ace hesitated for a moment, fully aware that Sabo and Garp were watching him too. They would tease him to no end if he admitted to liking the show!

"It was ok," he answered casually, confident that his words had been convincing.

"Is that so?" The man was silent for a moment as he just stared at Ace. Ace frowned back, unsure of what his goal was. "I see then. So these are your grandsons then, Garp?"

"Don't get any ideas, Newgate," Garp said, stepping closer to Ace.

Newgate laughed at Garp, standing back up straight and tall. "I don't know what you're talking about." He looked back at Ace, still smiling. "I like you, brat. Call me Whitebeard."

But before Ace could ask what he meant or why he said it, Whitebeard walked away, meeting with a crowd of young adults.

"What was that about?" Sabo asked.

All Ace could do was shrug. "I have no idea." He decided to dismiss it. It's not as if he would see him again.

* * *

"C'mon, Ace," he whispered to himself, looking at his reflection in the mirror. He flourished his arm away from his body, pointing the tips of his fingers outward, but it wasn't nearly as graceful as he had seen on stage. Not even close. His movements were too stiff, wrist snapping out too quickly

If someone were to ask him what he was doing in room (quietly and with the door locked), he would have denied his actions. He didn't want to admit that he had enjoyed the ballet. Sabo and Luffy would tease him endlessly, and the fact that he was imitating the moves he had seen on stage. They would probably call him girly, and the thought of his brothers making fun of him just left a bad taste in his mouth.

He couldn't help himself though. That grace and freedom that man—Marco, was it?—exhibited on stage had struck something inside of Ace. He wanted to experience that grace and freedom too.

Ace sighed. "One more time." He parted his legs and bent them at the knees slightly. This time, he wanted to try executing one of those spins the dancers had done. He was sure he remembered how they did it, but the show had been a week ago, and his memory of it was getting fuzzy. All he had to do was spin, right? He pushed off on his toes and—

"What are you doing in here?"

Ace tumbled to the floor in an ungraceful heap with a yelp. "I thought I locked the door," he groaned as he looked up at Sabo.

"Nice try, Ace, but you know I can pick a lock," Sabo said, offering out a hand to help Ace up.

Ace hadn't really thought of it at the time since his mind had been preoccupied with trying to remember the moves, but he wasn't about to admit this to Sabo. "What do you want, Sabo?" he grumbled, grudgingly accepting the offer for help.

"I want you to admit that you like ballet. You don't have to tell me why if you don't want to, but be honest with me and yourself, Ace."

"So you can tease me about it? Yeah right."

"Stop being so defensive." Sabo rolled his eyes. "I won't tease you, Ace. Can't you have a little more faith in me? I wouldn't tease you about something that makes you happy."

Ace looked away. Of course he hadn't meant to doubt his brother. "Sorry," he muttered, taking a seat on his bed. "Fine. I like ballet. Are you satisfied?"

"That's better," Sabo said as he sat next to Ace. "So you've been trying out some of the moves then?"

"Yeah," Ace admitted with a sigh.

"You could hurt yourself though, Ace."

"But I'm strong," he said in argument.

"Strong isn't good enough though," Sabo countered. "Ace, those performers spent years training and perfecting those moves and techniques. You won't be able to get it by practicing in your bedroom alone."

"Then what do you suggest I do?"

Sabo shoved a pamphlet into Ace's hands, leaving him confused to as where he pulled it out from, but his attention was drawn to it anyways. It had some sort of cross on the front with the words "Newgate School of the Arts".

"Where did you get this?"

"Do you remember the old man Whitebeard we met at the theater where the ballet was?" Sabo asked. "He gave it to me right before he left and told me to give it to you. He owns the school and the dance troupe that performed."

Ace couldn't recall Whitebeard having an opportunity to do such a thing, but he did remember that he said he would probably see Ace again—though Ace had denied it. The chance to learn was tempting in its own way, and yet, his brain was swimming with the negatives. "I can't go to an art school, Sabo," he said. "The class wouldn't like me, and besides, there's costs to think about—"

"You wouldn't be full time attending. It's a college."

"Oh." Ace blushed, embarrassed by his assumptions.

"But they do have a number of programs for children and teens," Sabo continued. "Including private lessons."

That fact caught Ace's interest. Though he was reluctant about a teacher having their complete attention on him, a lack of peers was actually pretty comforting.

"I think that's going to be the best option for you, but you realize that you won't always be alone, right? If you want to participate in shows, you will be performing with others."

Ace didn't care about that at the moment. Just thinking about it made him feel warm inside, and Sabo nodded.

"Ok. Let's sign you up."

* * *

 **Present**

"Ace!" Sabo yelled from downstairs. "We have to go now!"

Ace grinned in the mirror, hardly paying attention to Sabo's voice. He was just too excited to pay attention.

He was about to rehearse for his first lead role after all.

Sabo had signed him up for those private lessons 8 years ago, and Ace hadn't regretted a single second of it. Learning ballet had taken up much of his time since he had poured almost all of his attention into it. At least school hadn't really been too important to him even before, though Sabo had tutored him in his spare time to make sure that he didn't fail.

When he started his lessons, his teacher, Ms. Whitey Bay, had warned him that it would be a difficult path to take, especially since Ace had decided learning alone was best for him, but he wasn't one to do things half-heartedly. Once he had resolved himself to becoming someone with grace and freedom, he had learned quickly.

The road had been a long one. He definitely met some stumbling blocks, like injuring himself quite a few times when timing a jump wrong, or standing the wrong way. Those moments had definitely been setbacks since he had been prevented from practicing. Despite Ms. Bay's warnings to take it easy, he had thrown himself back into fray immediately, not wanting to waste a single moment.

And he was glad for it. He pushed himself and pushed himself, and to land a spot in such a prestigious company at such a young age was huge.

"Oi." Sabo had entered the room, grabbing him by the ear. "Grab your bag, or you'll be late."

"Yeah, yeah."

Ace didn't have to make sure he had everything before they left. He double-checked, triple-checked everything last night. There was no way he would forget anything for this moment.

Time just flew by as Sabo drove him to the building where the Whitebeard Dance Troupe rehearsed, and before he knew it he was standing outside, hand on the door. Sabo had already left him to go to his job, so there was no turning back now—not that he would want to.

Supposedly, he would be meeting the rest of the troupe inside, but he wasn't quite sure which room. The building had multiple dance studios for practice, which was confusing (yet being in a building solely for the purpose of ballet was exciting). He just decided that he was going to go to the room with the most noise coming from it. That was probably a good idea, right? He reached the end of the hall, and pushed the door open with a deep breath.

But everyone in the room got quieted once he stepped over the threshold. There was a good reason why too. These people in front of him weren't part of the dance troupe. They were children!

They stared at him, and Ace felt that their gazes alone would be enough to chase him out of the room, but he was frozen still. Was this some kind of joke?

"Ah," someone said. "We have a visitor. Say hello, yoi."

"Ohhhh," the children chorused. "Hi!"

"Everyone, please stretch in pairs!"

As the class of children split off into pairs, a blond man approached him, offering out a hand. "You're Ace, right? Nice to meet you."

"How do you know my name?" Ace found himself asking before he could say anything else. He wasn't the best at thinking about what came out of his mouth. "Er—sorry," he said, feeling very dumb as he shook the stranger's hand.

"It's no problem." He chuckled in between his words. "However, I'd be concerned if I didn't know your name. I helped pick you as my replacement after all."

Ace's jaw dropped as he finally put the pieces together. It had been a long time since he had seen him (onstage of course), so he hadn't recognized him at first. The outline of his hair was starting to look very familiar though, and he wanted to slap himself for not recognizing the familiar style in the first place.

"Oh." Ace felt very dumb that that was the only word that left his mouth, but apparently, Marco Phoenix of all people found his behavior amusing since he chuckled at him.

"I don't blame you," Marco said. "Haven't been on the stage in a while."

Ace didn't need to pry on the matter. Many people found it strange when a dancer of Marco's caliber vanished off the stage a couple of years ago. Some would call it a mysterious disappearance, but other dancers knew the answer: a career ending injury, and the reason why Ace was replacing him in the troupe. As for what kind of injury, Ace knew better than to ask—not that he wasn't curious.

Still, it felt surreal. He hadn't known what happened to Marco after he stopped performing, but he never would have guessed that he would be teaching classes to children. He had seen Marco leap across the stage, graceful like a bird as he acted out his role with finesse. To see him surrounded by kids? It made Ace grin.

"You're here to meet everyone then?" Marco asked.

"Yeah," Ace answered. "Um, am I in the wrong room?"

Marco shook his head. "Well, technically you're in the right room, but the meeting isn't until three."

"What?" Ace pulled out his phone, opening his emails to read over the one from the troupe. Sure enough, the time slot read 3 pm. He felt even dumber than before. How could he have missed that? How could Sabo have missed that? Could this day make him feel any stupider in front of someone he admired so much? "God, I can't believe this. I'm so sorry for intruding."

"We all make 's no big deal," Marco offered with a gentle smile. "Though I could use an assistant as long as you're here."

Ace looked over at the kids, who had been unsubtly glancing over at them to spy on their conversation as they talked. He didn't have anything else to do in the hour while waiting here,yet he was also worried that he would mess up again. He swallowed the lump in his throat, turning back to Marco. "I'm not sure how much I can help, but I'll try."

"I really appreciate it, yoi," Marco said. "Why don't you get changed?"

* * *

Arguably, having to assist a renowned dancer in teaching children was more nerve-wracking than auditioning in front of the selection panel. He had practiced for that for weeks, and he knew his skill would carry him through, but this assisting deal was a spur of the moment thing,

It was too late to back down now though.

Marco clapped loudly to bring the attention of his class to him. "Everyone, this is Ace. He'll be helping us out today."

"Hi, Mr. Ace!" the class greeted, and Ace waved nervously back.

"Er, hello." He put his hand down in an effort to take himself out of this awkward situation. "So what are we working on?"

"We have a showcase coming up!" a little girl piped from the back of the room.

"Good job, Alex," Marco said. "Help me keep an eye on them as they practice, Ace, and don't be afraid to correct their mistakes."

Marco almost seemed like he was in command as he started teaching his class. It was a much different experience from seeing him on stage. On stage, he was graceful and in control. Here, he didn't seem fazed or annoyed by the chatter of his students. Ace had heard horror stories of strict teacher, from some other dancers he had come to work with, but Marco was anything but that.

"Do you need help?" he would ask.

"You should position your foot like this," he would say.

The gentleness he held was rather fascinating to watch. Ace had thought he would be the controlling perfectionist type, but he was patient with the kids, often holding their hands as he guided them through were currently practicing pirouettes, though it wasn't an easy task for all of them

Ace's trance of staring was broken when a tiny hand tugged on his shirt. He looked at the source, seeing a little girl clutching the hem of his shirt. "Mr. Ace?" she asked, voice almost too quiet for him to hear as she shyly tugged on her dark hair with her free hand.

He never really interacted with any children before, but he knew Marco was watching him, and making a little girl upset was just something that he should avoid in general. Ace bent down to get closer to her. "Yeah?" he said, trying to sound as friendly as possible. "What do you need, um-?"

"Robin," she answered before Ace could even ask. "Can you help me do one of those spins?"

"A pirouette?"

She nodded, making sure to add a "Please?".

Ace removed Robin's hand from his shirt, squeezing it gently. "Watch me first, okay?"

She backed away to give him some space as Ace made sure to get his feet into the proper position. When he had first started ballet, the positions seemed confusing to him, but now, it was easy to shift, feet spaced and pointing in opposite directions.

With a deep breath, Ace spread his arms, and pushed off.

He had executed hundreds of pirouettes during his career, and this one was no different than the rest of them. Once, twice, making sure to draw his forearms towards his center. Extend, repeat, finally finishing off in a position mirroring his start.

"Good form," Ace heard Marco say. Ace hadn't even realized that he was watching. He bent down to pat Robin's head. "So Mr. Ace is going to help you today?"

She nodded again, this time with more verve. Her eyes were practically shining as she beamed at Ace.

"Well, make sure to share him with the others, okay?"

As he walked away to work with some of the others, Ace bent down to Robin's level. "Let's work on your retire position. It'll be a little different for you than it is for me though."

"Can I really do it like you can?" Robin asked.

"With a lot of practice, I'm sure you'll be great."

* * *

The class ending was actually a bit of a relief since it was more exhausting than Ace would have thought. He really had to give Marco credit for doing this on a regular basis. Thankfully, it was starting to get more quiet as the children left one by one when their parents arrived.

Ace was resting against a wall with a wet cloth to his face when Marco approached him. "Thanks again for this, but I'll have to leave you here for the day," he said.

"The kids tire you out too?" Ace teased with a grin.

"Just a little bit," Marco answered, smiling back. "I actually have to drive Robin back home."

"Is there no one she has at home to pick her up?"

"Well, there's me."

Before Ace could ask, Robin rushed back in. "Let's go, Dad," she said, tugging Marco's hand. Ace stared, surprised at how she lacked the shyness from earlier.

Marco smiled proudly at his daughter. "Give me a second. Here." He reached into his bag, pulling out a handful of coins. "Go get a snack from the vending machine."

She skipped out of the room before Marco continued. "She's pretty shy, so I'm glad she opened up to you. I think you made it easier for her to learn. I can't really show moves to the kids in person, you see."

"Your injury?" Ace found himself asking before he realized that his curiosity had gotten the better of him.

He immediately regretted his question when Marco's warm smile faltered. "Unfortunately."

Ace couldn't even imagine how Marco felt. Ballet had served as an outlet for Ace for so many years, something that made him feel free and calm. Marco was probably even more devoted to the art than Ace was, yet it had all been snatched away from him.

The world was cruel like that.

Ace reached over, patting Marco's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up your bad memories."

"No, it's fine." Ace wasn't sure if he believed Marco, even if it seemed that he had forgiven him. "I've had my run, and I miss it, but I have to give kids like you a chance."

"Oi," Ace grumbled. "I'm not that younger than you are."

Marco chuckled at him. "Sure, but that pout isn't helping your case."

Robin reentered the room, clutching a water bottle and a bag of veggie chips. "Dad?"

"Alright, Robin," Marco answered. "We can go now.I know there's that documentary you wanted to watch."

"Will Mr. Ace come back next time?" she asked.

Ace felt their stares on them at that moment, and he couldn't help feeling nervous. "We'll see."

* * *

Ace wasn't sure what drew him back the next week and each subsequent week, but the kids seemed to welcome him back without a problem. When Marco asked him to show some moves to the class, he knew that his help was appreciated. The kids weren't doing anything too advanced, so it was no problem to show them. Of course, some moves were more oriented to female dancers, but Marco told him that he would show them a video later.

He really should've been concerned with his own rehearsal for his show, but helping with the class didn't require exhaustive practicing, and he would admit that the class might be growing on him. Especially little Robin, who was getting better by the day. Assisting the class was starting to become part of his daily routine, and talking with Marco and getting to know him was a big plus. Part of him was still a little starstruck, so being surrounded by kids helped that feeling even just a little bit.

Marco was actually easier to talk to than Ace expected. Oftentimes when Marco was waiting for Robin to change, they would discuss different moves or shows they had seen. It warmed him inside when Marco shot a compliment his way, and Ace wasn't afraid to gush back about the times he had seen Marco on stage (though he was sure to tread carefully with what he said).

He would admit that he liked Marco, but he really couldn't explain how things ended up the way they had now, with Maro on top of him like this.

So he was rather surprised when the room was practically empty when he arrived for the next class—with the exception of Marco.

He stepped into the room hesitantly, clutching the straps of his bag. "Um hey, Marco," he said. "Where are the kids?"

But Marco didn't seem to be paying attention to him. He had earphones in, watching something on his phone.

"Marco?" Ace called, raising his voice this time.

Marco looked up, taking one of the earphones out. "I didn't see you come in." He smiled at Ace, patting the ground next to where he was sitting. "Sit down with me."

Ace made sure to put his bag down in the corner before he accepted Marco's offer. "What are you listening to?" he asked, only for Marco to offer out the earphone he had taken out. Ace scooted closer, slipping it into his ear to listen.

He recognized the slow melody right away. Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake: a piece for the very same ballet he was leading for. This was the big number for the ballerina lead, but Ace thought this piece was beautiful all the same.

"There's no class today," Marco finally answered, though quiet enough so they could still hear the music. "The studio is a nice place to get some peace and quiet."

"What about Robin? Is she, uh, with her mother?"

Marco stretched his hand out to Ace, and Ace noticed that each finger was bare. "Single dad," he said. "Robin told me to come. For you."

"Ah." Ace fell silent in the next moment, but he wasn't sure if it was to keep the attention off of his vibrant blush or because he had run out of things to say.

The song quieted down as it ended, only to jump into a vibrant waltz from the first act of the ballet. Marco must've had the playlist on shuffle.

"So how are your rehearsals going?" Marco inquired as he reached for his phone to turn down the volume. "It's a rather exhaustive role."

Marco didn't need to specify. "I've never practiced so much before, but ballet is everything to me right now. I enjoy it," Ace admitted. "The Prince was your first lead role too, right?"

"Somewhat of a coincidence, I guess," Marco said. "Don't let me down up there."

The room suddenly felt a few degrees hotter. Ace pulled on the collar of his shirt, hoping that it would help him cool down. "I'll try not to." How many dancers had to face their idol telling them this? Ace had every right to be nervous.

It was only when Marco laughed that Ace thought he shouldn't be as nervous as he actually was. "I kid. No need to look so scared."

"Hm, maybe you're just worried that my first lead will be better than yours."

"We'll see. Show me what you got."

"Help me stretch?"

That question probably had something to do with their position right now, and it didn't help that Ace decided to omit his shirt for the day (the kids weren't there and he rather enjoyed the coolness on his skin).

Ace's back was against the ground and his legs were spread as Marco helped to stretch his legs upward. The position definitely looked compromising without any context. Ace was glad that no one else was there.

"You're pretty flexible."

Ace grinned. "Kinda have to be, right? Let me switch." After Marco moved and helped him, Ace slowly slid his legs apart until he was back on the ground in a split.

"Still impressive," Marco commented, eyes trained on Ace's body. "Watching you stretch is a show in itself, and you haven't even danced for me yet."

"Dance for you? That's not a bad idea," Ace said. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting with me."

Marco was quiet for a second, and thinking he had said something wrong, Ace looked away with a blush. Feeling lips brush over his ear in the next moment, though, only made him blush harder. "Maybe you know better than you think," Marco whispered, pulling away afterward.

When Ace looked back at him, Marco was smirking at him. "Dance for me," he said.

The fact that Marco had the soundtrack for the show on his phone was rather convenient. Whether it was for nostalgic purposes, or if he had planned so to help Ace practice, he didn't know.

Dancing for Marco made his palms sweaty and his heart beat faster. The situation was different when helping with the class since all he did there was show them how to execute certain moves, but Marco had danced this role, and he would know if Ace wasn't actually going to be fitting for the role. If he messed up, Marco could tell the troupe that he didn't actually deserve the role.

"I'm here to help, Ace," Marco reassured. "Just dance."

Ace swallowed his anxieties. He couldn't back out now, right? And so he looked back at Marco, nodding at him to start the music.

He tried to keep his mind blank to let the melody flow through his body and carry him into the moves that he had been practicing for weeks. Pirouette, and now leap. He beat his legs in the air, properly landing on the pliable floor of the dance studio. Bow, flourish, and move across the stage.

"Wait," Marco said, interrupting him. Ace froze in his movements. He bit his lip and looked away, knowing that he had disappointed Marco.

Marco's finger trailed lightly under Ace's chin, guiding his gaze towards him. "There's no reason to frown like that. Your dancing is fine, though more practice doesn't hurt."

"Why did you stop me then?" Ace asked.

"On stage, Ace, you're not just a dancer. You're a prince, a man in love," Marco explained. "You're dancing with the love of your life, so smile. Look like you're in love."

"And how do you suggest I do that?"

Ace couldn't figure out why, but he wasn't as nervous when Marco leaned close to him and brushed their lips together. Maybe it was because he was expecting it.

They jumped apart when the door suddenly opened though.

Ace hadn't been expecting for the other members to arrive, but there Izo stood, raising an eyebrow at them.

"Marco, what are you doing here?" Izo asked.

"Relaxing. Aren't you early?"

"We're taking costume measurements today, so we needed the extra time." He glanced over at Ace. "I see you two are... acquainted."

Ace smiled nervously. With the way Izo was talking, he definitely saw their kiss.

Marco sighed. "Looks like I should go," he said. "Shame our dance was cut short."

Ace took his hand. "Are you sure you can't stay for awhile? I really appreciate your advice."

"I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. It'll be nice to see how your dancing finally comes together after all," Marco said. He raised Ace's hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "See you next week?"

Ace nodded immediately, smiling after Marco as he left.

Izo rolled his eyes. "Save the mushy behavior for later. Just stand still so I can take your measurements."

* * *

Ace couldn't help smiling up at the stage as he watched the performance in front of him. The kids had been working so hard towards this show and the fruits of their labor were finally shown to the world—well, to the audience of family and friends at least, though the show was open to the public.

Granted, their moves weren't perfect, but it would be ridiculous to expect perfection from kids. They would get it in time, but for now they were doing their best, and that was enough. It made Ace beam with pride to see them continue even when they stumbled or faltered (Marco was probably feeling even prouder than Ace was, though he was busy directing kids backstage). Ace could only imagine how widely he was smiling right now as Robin danced across the stage in her flowery, purple tutu.

There were other groups performing from other teachers, but the main attraction to Ace had been the class he had helped to teach. Sure, the other performances had been nice too, but nothing compared to knowing that he had helped those kids as the audience gave them a huge round of applause.

It only felt better when he met up with the group after the show ended.

"Thank you, Mr. Ace!" they chimed with wide smiles, Ace grinning back.

They left Marco, who they were previously standing with, to gather around Ace. "Did you see me?" a little girl named Ann asked as she hopped up for Ace to see her.

"What about me?" asked a boy named Joshua.

It was a little overwhelming to be swarmed by them all at once. He could see Robin and Marco quietly laughing at him from where they were standing a few feet away. Ace bent down so he was on the kids' level. "You guys all did amazing," he said, and they cheered in response.

"Alright, everyone." Marco was finally coming to his aid. "It's time to give Mr. Ace a little room. We have cupcakes in the back."

The kids rushed off at the mention of the sugary treat, finally giving Ace some room to breathe. "Thanks."

"No problem," Marco said, following the kids. He paused for a second, turning back to Ace. "They'll probably be more rowdy at your performance—just a warning."

It was exhausting just thinking about that, especially since he knew he was going to be tired from the performance as well. Yet at the same time, it warmed his heart to know that the kids had such a passion for ballet at such a young age.

"Are you still going to come to our classes?" Robin asked. Ace hadn't even realized that Marco left them alone.

"Maybe," Ace answered. "You just finished a show though, so I'm not sure what you'll need my help with."

"Everyone wants you to come though," Robin said, adding an, "Especially Dad."

Of course Ace knew that they would miss him, but with the opening night of Swan Lake approaching, rehearsals came more often and ran for more hours at a time. Ace had been expecting this when was accepted as the role. Before teaching the kids, he had imagined that he would devote all his time to practice and performance so he could continue to advance in his career. But now, he knew that Marco might struggle again too without anyone in person to show the kids. Ace bit his lip as he contemplated the options.

"We know you have a show, so don't worry about it." It was as if Robin knew what he had been thinking at that moment. "They just don't want you to leave forever."

Before Ace could say anything to that, Robin left just like Marco and the other kids had. It was strange how she seemed to have immediate knowledge of things, but her words had helped.

"You've raised a smart kid, Marco," he muttered.

* * *

Ace was a bundle of nerves on opening night.

It felt surreal to him that he was standing on this stage about to perform his first lead role. He would be dancing in every act, the center of attention— except for his partner, of course. Still, everyone would be watching him.

Especially Marco.

Ace hadn't asked beforehand where Marco and the kids would be sitting (it was like a little field trip for them). Maybe that was for the best though. He didn't want to run the risk of getting distracted and breaking character. Even Sabo refused to tell him where he and Luffy were sitting.

He heard the announcement that the show was about to start, and the chatter of the crowd quieted. Before he knew it, the first dancers entered the lights of the stage as the music played. His cue would be coming soon.

Ace took a deep breath. He was ready for this.

He moved automatically on his cue, a wide smile on his face. 'You are a prince,' he told himself.

Each ballet move felt like second nature to him since he had meticulously practiced each and every part for months. Ace knew exactly what he needed to do in order to make this performance a success. Each move had to be timed perfectly, executed with grace from the first act to the last.

Ace let his character and the music carry him throughout the ballet. Each time he thought he would falter or make a mistake, he focused enough to right himself before it even became a problem, still appearing perfect on stage. When it came to the scenes with his partner, Marco's words echoed in his mind: 'Look like you're in love.'

Ace knew that all the work and energy was definitely worth it as he stood on stage at the end, the audience applauding and cheering loudly.

He would get a second encore from the kids and Marco when he met up with the that night. They had swarmed him like they had at their performance, but it wasn't as tiring as Ace thought it would be. They looked at him in awe, chiming in with comments of their admiration.

"Wow! You were so cool, Mr. Ace!"

"You should teach us to jump like that!"

Are patted one of the kids on the head. "You'll have to work your butts off, you know."

"What?! I need that though!"

Marco laughed, but was still composed enough to ask, "What did I tell you guys about crowding?"

"Sorry, Mr. Marco." They immediately backed off, but strangely enough, they were looking up at both him and Marco as if they were expecting something to happen. And was Robin starting to lead them away?

The situation really hit Ace when he and Marco were left alone. It seemed that Marco hadn't planned this either by the way he raised an eyebrow at Robin as she left.

"I'm guessing this was her idea?" Ace asked.

"Well, she has been pestering me to finally ask you out."

Ace grinned, glancing off in the direction she had left. It looked as if she was helping the other kids to find their parents. "Well looks like I need to thank her then. I would've done the same thing if I had the time."

"Maybe you were the one that planned this then," Marco said. Completely untrue, but where was the fun in denying that.

"Are you taking me on a date or not? I'm tired, so take out and a movie sounds great, by the way."

Marco took his hand gently and lifted it to his lips. "This is your night. You definitely deserve it after how amazing your performance was," he whispered. "Whatever you want works for me."

Ace raised an eyebrow at him. "And what about the kids? What about Robin, hm?" It wasn't like Marco to be irresponsible like that.

"Their parents are here to pick them up, so we'll have to wait for them all first. And my brothers are bringing Robin home," Marco explained. "In fact, she was the one who suggested that."

Ace laughed. "I think someone wants a second dad."

A while later, the two of them ended up on the couch at Ace's place, scarfing down buttery popcorn as they watched a film they had randomly picked from the haphazardly organized DVD cabinet.

"Hey, Marco?" Ace asked as he adjusted himself so his head fit into the crook of Marco's neck.

"Yes?" Neither of them bothered to pause the movie. They weren't paying very much attention to it anyways.

"I'm still welcome back as your assistant, right?"

Though he was cuddled up next to Marco, he couldn't bring himself to look him in the eyes. There was still the possibility of him saying no.

But his irrational insecurities were banished when he felt Marco's lips press softly against his forehead. "Of course, yoi," Marco said. "The kids would miss you."

"Are you sure they're the only ones?" Ace teased. He climbed into Marco's lap and blocked his view completely. He leaned down to kiss Marco, briefly breaking away to whisper, "Because I know you would miss me too."

Marco tugged him back down, and as they continued their own activities, the movie merely faded into the background along with Ace's worries of the future.

Sure, he would still be practicing for the remainder of the season for Swan Lake (and after that they would begin working on other shows and events), but coming in earlier wasn't too big of a task. These kids were looking to learn, and he and Marco made the perfect team.

* * *

 **So what did you all think? Please tell me what you think because I was really happy with how this turned out!**


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